Sweet Miss Giving’s

Back when I was being edumucated, before the days of the the food truck frenzy and the French Market, Loyola carried treats from Sweet Miss Giving’s in the disgusting food court. I was never there to get a greasy slice of pizza or a gross cheeseburger. I was there for a bottle of water and a humungo brownie!
What makes Sweet Miss Giving’s better than the other gazillion bakeries out there? It is not just how delicious the yumyum treats are! Check out their mission. This organization helps give homeless people jobs *and* supports HIV/​AIDS education.
Get your philanthropy on *and* get a sweet treat? How can you go wrong?

Great food. Well made. Great cause!

Found the Sweet Miss Givings truck outside my office one day. Got a vanilla cupcake with vanilla icing… the cupcake itself was SUPER moist and was by far the best part! The icing was good, not amazing, but together, they made the cupcake a great purchase! I’ll definitely go back everytime the food truck is around my building at work!

I’ve had Sweet Miss Giving’s at the French Market and was lucky enough to try the truck at the Food Truck Summit. I love Sweet Miss Giving’s because their sweets are awesome plus the money goes to a great cause. You just can’t go wrong there. Not to mention, both times I have gone plus when I was at the truck, service was just amazing. The guys working there are super friendly and knowledgeable about the mission and the products.
Everything I have tried is always good from Sweet Miss Giving’s! From the truck, I got a brownie and a cupcake. I really wanted the Devil’s food cupcake but the girl in front of me in line took the last one! Sadface. I had a big ol’ yellow cupcake with chocolate frosting which was delicious! I love the thick, sugary frosting and the moist cake. Yums!
I also tried the Cream Cheese brownie to switch it up and it was fantastic! So decadent and full of chocolate goodness. It was such a nice surprise from a place I though was known for their cupcakes.
Love Sweet Miss Giving’s and all they do for their community! I highly recommend them and look forward to trying more myself!

So I decided to update my review after some serious consideration. I don’t like to lead people astray so I want to clear some things up.
The red velvet cupcake is still one of the best if not THE best I’ve ever bit into. So a gazzilion stars for that.
The brownie we ordered was moist but nothing really special. We also ordered a dozen minies and I hate to admit it but they were too dry for likings. Which is understandable since they’re smaller but I would not get them again. Now with that said being said I would walk miles to get me one of them red velvet babies in my mouth. Which would be a good calorie burning walk pre-​cupcake. =p SMG gets two thumbs up from this lady, well in this case 5 stars.

When I got off the El the other day after a long hard day at work, I was thrilled at the idea that I was two blocks closer to home. But when I saw the Sweet Miss Givings truck waiting outside the station displaying all its goodies, my heart lept! Oh joy!!!
There was NO WAY that I could pass this by, even if I was scheduled to work out with my trainer that evening.
The gentleman in the truck was very friendly and helpful, explaining all the offerings, then assisted me in narrowing my choices down to three items: one dozen Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes, a German chocolate brownie, and a White Chocolate Chunk Cranberry cookie (which he said was the best thing he’s ever tasted). The total was $ 19 which all goes to charity.
He was right — the White Chocolate Chunk Cranberry Cookie was TO DIE FOR. I forced myself to eat it slowly, savoring every morsel. Believe me, this was tough… If there was really such a thing as a Cookie Monster, her name would be Marjorie.
Out of the kindness of my heart (plus I didn’t want to consume these alone in one sitting), I brought the Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes to work the next day. After the experience with the cookie, it was no surprise that my co-​workers and I basked in the euphoria produced by these tasty little treats. This was by far the best Red Velvet cupcake I have ever encountered! The cake itself is moist and delicious, and the frosting — oh so creamy with just the right sweetness.
I am saving the German Chocolate Brownie for later — which of course, I will let you all know about. I couldn’t wait to write this review and get the word out!
Sweet Miss Givings is doing a wonderful thing by raising money to raise people up. They are spreading the love by selling products that taste like they are made with love.
Bottom line — give me Sweet Miss Givings any day!

SMG truck showed up by my work Wednesday… Had a coconut cupcake (Seasonal)… Great flavor and size especially since part of profits are going to charity. I’m looking forward to next week to see how the chocolate and red velvet are… Glad that I can get my sugar fix all while helping out a great cause!

Ok… SMG gets a 5 for what they are all about for sure! But this is about food too right?! =]]
Osi V, my ma and I stopped here, soaking wet at the Food Truck Summit at Goose Island. They were one of only like three trucks who still had stuff to sell at only 7:40 PM! My mom and O went over and picked up a couple brownies, 2 red velvet cupcakes (which were very generously sized) and a dozen minis (carrot, vanilla, chocolate). I tried everything we got and the definite stand out, by far, was the red velvet. Very, very moist with an amazing frosting on top. Just a little chocolatey for what I think a red velvet should be… but hey… that’s just my opinion… and it wouldn’t stop me from getting another one! =] The brownies were good, nothing special, but nice and moist. But the big disappointment for me was the minis… they were super dry and the frosting on top was really hard… you could tell the chocolate cake was a good cake, but it was definitely overcooked, probably because it was the miniature size. I would like to try a bigger version to compare. But I am also a cupcake snob over here since I believe to make some of the best… so I am really not trying to be mean… just honest. I still love you SMG! And I def plan on stopping by your truck sometime when my kids let me venture back out to the city!

I’ve passed Sweet Miss Giving’s at the French Market, but never thought to try their cupcakes. I had a chance to try some at the Food Truck Summit, which took place under tents in the midst of some craptacular rain & hail. It was super crowded, but luckily the two dessert trucks had the shortest lines. I got a huge Red Delvet cupcake and a Turtle brownie. Double ca-​ching! The cupcake was a lot larger than typical places and it was damn good. The red velvet cake was super moist and the cream cheese frosting was crucial. I just wish I got two.
Their brochure says they donate half of their profits to help the formerly homeless and disabled people at the Chicago House. But the guy at the truck and the packaging says they now donate all of their profits. Pretty cool.

I had some of the velvet cake from the Sweet Miss Giving’s truck. Very convenient as they are right outside my workplace!
The cake was great, and the cream cheese frosting… delicious. Prices are a tad higher than a velvet cake can be, but heck they donate a portion to charity, so it’s all good!

My review for Sweet Miss Givings is based only my experience with the treat truck that I discovered parked near my car while I was leaving school one day a couple weeks ago. Unable to turn down a cupcake that seemed so clearly placed in my path by some sort of divine intervention, I purchased a carrot cake cupcake. The price was 3 dollars, which was fine for the size and quality of the cupcake. However, the employee in the truck said that they are only 3 dollars when on college campuses, and are 5 dollars ordinarily. Hmmm. 5 dollars is too much, I think. Their flavors are pretty standard (chocolate, red velvet, carrot cake, etc) and while it was certainly a quality cupcake, I wouldn’t pay 5 dollars for one. That’s more than your average cupcake boutique, by a dollar at least, and the cupcakes don’t live up to that price difference.
That said, it was a really good carrot cake cupcake. Also, they donate a certain percentage of their profits to support homeless Chicagoans, which is awesome. I guess if I’m going to overpay for a cupcake, I want it to be for a good cause! In summary, if you see the cupcake truck in your path, it was meant to be. Some greater force in the universe thinks you should buy a cupcake. Don’t fight it!

Everything is so good and for a great cause too. Love the Turtle Brownies, Red Velvet Cupcakes, carrot cupcakes, Pear Ginger Scones… oh who am I fooling I love it all.

If you are hosting a coporate lunch or breakfast and are looking for a fantastic place from which to order your breakfast items or lunches, you can’t go wrong with Sweet Miss Givings.
High Quality. Great tasting, at a competitive price.
The brownies and the red velvet cupcakes are to die for.

Sweet Miss Giving’s — the perfect name for such a place — sweets where 50% profits goes to those in need… such cleverness.
My review is for the small Sweet Miss Giving’s booth in the new French Market in downtown. Amongst a row of sweets/​desserts, Sweet Miss Giving’s stood out with its simple display of cupcakes, brownies and muffins. On my first visit to the french market, i was too full to try the red velvet cupcake that i had eyed on my stroll around. Fast forward 2 weeks later, after a tremendously LONG week at work and yet tremendously satisfying lunch at another french market vendor, i plopped down my 3 dollars (oh what a steal!) to grab THE last red velvet cupcake (lady literally took away the red velvet tag after my purchase). Phew, made it just in time. I got the cupcake to go and it came in clear basket carton made especially to house cupcakes. I must have looked über happy because a random person walked up to me and demanded where i got my cupcake!
I saved the cupcake to share with the BF for dessert after our friday night dinner date and yes, it was quite a perfect ending. Not overly sweet but perfectly creamy cream cheese icing over the red velvet cake, which was a bit on the dry side but had a very interesting texture (almost nutty) but still delicious.
Anyways, a rather long story to review one simple red velvet cupcake… but as sweet miss giving’s would say: Even better than flowers and chocolates when you are looking for a gift for your sweetheart…

Here’s my story about Sweet Miss GIving’s…
(note: Please see the fabulous Emily D’s review for background, mission, etc. It’s quite stellar.) Half of proceeds to go to charity, AND they participate in job training programs to get peeps back on their feet. Now, order the brownies. It’s your civic duty.
Ok, back to story.
My mom is the sweetest woman in all the land. Truly. Just right down the middle, she’s the best. So naturally, she does nice things for me on her birthday… being that I am her favorite oldest daughter. (and only daughter, but pay no mind). She actually did some research on Unilocal,came up with Sweet Miss Givings… and ordered a dozen (yeah, luckily I have some people to share with, or I’d have a cupcake gut for my 27^th year of life.), and had them delivered to my abode on the day of my birth.
And then, someone stole them.
Yes, some cupcake thief STOLE MY MOTHERF’in cupcakes that my sweet mother sent me for my birthday right out of the lobby.
So, as Sharon (my mom) called me several times throughout the day expecting «yeeeeeeeeeeee!» and «thank youuuuuuuuuuuu!» she was met with idle chit chat, like a normal day. So finally, by the end she just told me she had sent them, and we figured out that the infamous package stealer had preyed upon my box of goodies. (it’s a chronic problem in my building, bastard).
As she’d been in touch with SMG, she let them know the super depressing dealio. Then I got a call from their business manager.
Him: Hi! Your cupcakes got stolen?
Me: (sad face) yes.
Him: Why don’t you come in for a bakery tour, and we’ll unveil our holiday menu to you?
Me: (ears perk up), oooooo, ok!
So, this past week I stopped in with my Little Sister (
) for a bakery tour. AND, we got to try the most marvelous punkin cheesecake (seriously) AND some stellar Molasses cookies, with real ginger, and um… REAL superiority. Best ever.
I know exactly where I am ordering my holiday goodies from this year (puhlease, I’ll leave the baking to the pros, you’ll all thank me), and they deliver in all of Chicago, even outwards to the far suburbs for a small extra fee. (Plus, they ship nationwide).
And, dear package stealer… You’ve become my new mission in life. Unfortunately for YOU, I am somewhat tenacious when it comes to cupcake justice. Yeah, you’ve gotten away with some other random stuff of mine, but cupcakes from my mother? Your klepto-​ass is going down.
So I’ll be visiting here:
for some spy equipment.
Sweet Miss Givings VIctory! Sharon wins. I win. Jamara wins. And, the package stealer LOSES.
To Be Continued…

At Emily D’s recommendation, I tried Sweet Miss Giving’s. I sent a dozen mini cupcakes to my brother, who wasn’t feeling well. I wanted to send him something, I don’t like sending boys flowers, and freshly baked cupcakes seemed like the perfect idea. I’m so glad this place exists! He was delighted to receive the cupcakes and said they were «awesome.» And I felt all fuzzy inside knowing I’d made his day and supported a good cause.

Cupcake domination. It’s upon us. Many of us Unilocalers are smitten with our favorite dens of sugary bliss, and covet their delectables until we’re frothing with frosting.
And some of us have had enough of the craze, to whom I say, «How can you be serious?»
Boutique cupcakes are beautiful baubles to be sure. But I’ve found a bakery that doesn’t just satiate sugar cravings. Rather, Sweet Miss Giving’s gives back to the community.. . in a major way.
SWG is a bakery and jobs program that donates 50 percent of its profits to the formerly homeless and HIV/​AIDS-​affected men, women and children of Chicago House. In its five-​year existence, more than 250 participants have benefited from the job training and placement services. SWG teaches employable skills in baking, packaging, customer service and delivery, all under the tutelage of master bakers.
Cupcakes just got so much sweeter. My first experience with SWG couldn’t have been better. They don’t have a store front, rather any of their yum yums are delivered right to your door. That’s right. You can eat cupcakes in your pajamas. Fresh cupcakes. Without lifting a finger. To quote Jim Gaffigan, «I guess I’m not showering today.»
I chose to pick a dozen minis up for a recent trip to Michigan. I fumbled with the directions and wound up going in the wrong entrance which turned out to be a saccharine surprise, as I got escorted through the high-​tech, stainless steel kitchen where bakers and students alike were hard at work on all sorts of concoctions: praline brownies, banana cream pie muffins, gingered pear scones.
Yeah, it ain’t just cupcakes.
Understanding Chicago’s collective cupcake mania shows no signs of slowing down, I implore to give into your cravings.. . and give back. Now you can. No excuses. Just do it.
TIP: Don’t just stop by.. . to my knowledge, there’s no ready-​to-​eat treats. You have to pre-​order through the Web site, and I’m going to try delivery next time. But picking up is a seamless process!